Book carrier



Jan. 26, 1965 J. WHETSTONE 3,167,226

BOOK CARRIER Filed June 22. 1961 awe/rm JOE WHET STONE United States Patent 3,167,226 BOOK CARRIER Joe Whetstone, 129 Abercorn St., Savannah, Ga. Filed June 22, 1961, Ser. No. 118,814 1 Claim. (Cl. 224-45) able, they are not as complete as they could be. In that,

there is usually no place to carry pencils, pens, erasers, car fare etc., and it is difiicult to get the books to lie closely and parallel with each other when the straps are drawn tightly about the books.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a strap book carrier which is provided with a safe and practical compartment forcarrying pencils, car fare, erasers, etc.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a book carrier that will keep the books in a compact alignment with each other and in a plane parallel with a verti cal plane passing through the carrying handle when the carrier is being supported by the handle.

While several objects of the invention have been set forth, other objects, uses and advantages may become more apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed, which consists in its novel construction and the arrangement of its several parts as shown by the accompanying illustrations and the detailed description to follow.

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation of the carrier showing how it would appear in use.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the carrier as shown in FIGURE 1.

In describing the carrier like numerals are used to point out like and similar parts throughout the several views.

The book carrier comprises an elongated hollow base member 10. The length of the base member is such, as to be at least as long as the average, or other sheet-like article to be carried by such a carrier.

Centrally of the base member is a handle 12 having its two ends hingedly secured to the upper surface of the base member 10 by the brackets 14 and 16 and the pins 18 and 20.

Extending equidistant from the ends of the base member and outwardly also equidistant from the center of the handle 12 are brackets 22 and 24. These brackets are to slidably accommodate a pair of adjustable straps 26 and 28, which extend over the base and downwardly in parallel vertical planes to be secured about the books by buckles 30 and 32, tightly pressing their upper edges in contact with the under surface of the base member.

Extending about the books 34 in a horizontal plane is a third adjustable strap 36 which is provided with buckle 38. This strap 36 is held in position by loops 37 and 38 secured to the straps 26 and 28 respectively for holding the strap 36 in position when released from about the books.

Adapted to slide within the hollow of the base is a compartment or drawer 40. This drawer is preferably "ice substantially the same length as the hollow in the base member and of a frictional fit, in order that it may not be accidentally opened. The drawer may also be provided with a latching means (not shown) to prevent it from coming open, unless the latch is operated. The drawer may also have any number of compartments therein to hold certain types of articles. The drawer is provided with a convenient button 42 for opening and closing the same.

The base is further provided with a stabilizing member 44. This stabilizing member 44 is of thin gauge and of rigid form and is fixed along the elongated center on the under surface of the base member 10 and extends downwardly therefrom in a vertical plane parallel with a vertical plane passing through the attached ends of the handle in order to hold the books in a flat and compact form and in a plane with the vertical axis of the carrying handle. Heretofore, when books were strapped together, particularly when they were of diiferent sizes, they would buckle and when this happens the straps were loosened and there was danger of losing a book or other items being carried. Also if the books were thick, it would push the books out of shape and loosen their covers.

In actual practice the carrier has proven to be very practical, convenient and desirable by students of all classes who nowadays seem to have so many books to transport to and from school, libraries, etc.

While the invention illustrates and describes only one form of the invention, it is not intended as a limitation as the scope of the invention is best defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

A book carrier for a plurality of books comprising, an elongated hollow base member being of rectangular form in cross-section, the hollow base having at least one open end, adapted to accommodate a pencil drawer, a handle having its ends hingedly attached centrally of and to the upper surface of the hollow base member and adapted to extend upwardly therefrom for carrying the same, a relatively thin rigid stabilizing member for the books of thin gauge material aflixed to and extending along the elongated center line and downwardly in a plane perpendicular to the bottom surface of the base portion for keeping the books in a plane parallel with a vertical plane passing through the attached end of the handle, means secured to the upper surface of the base equidistant from the center of the handle for slidably retaining a pair of vertical straps adapted to encircle the books, whereby the upper edges of the books are held in contact with the bottom surface of the base, and adjacent the vertical stabilizing member for keeping the books in a compact position and in a vertical plane parallel with a plane passing through the attached ends of the carrying handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 295,226 Breton Mar. 18, 1884 408,937 Sutton Aug. 13, 1889 623,338 Schloerb Apr. 18, 1899 1,082,017 Feinen Dec. 23, 1913 

